Leaders from the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other regional powers are discussing a range of security issues at a summit meeting in the Laotian capital of Vientiane.
Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov are also taking part in the East Asia Summit that opened on Friday.
A key topic is the situation in the East and South China Seas, where China has increased its presence. The agenda will also cover Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and North Korean issues.
China and the Philippines have become increasingly at odds in the South China Sea, following recent collisions between Chinese and Philippine government vessels.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. told a meeting between ASEAN and China on Thursday that his country continues to be subjected to harassment and intimidation.
Diplomatic sources say Blinken is expected to reiterate the importance of freedom of navigation and the peaceful settlement of disputes based on international law. He is likely to have a fierce exchange of views with Chinese Premier Li.
Blinken and Lavrov are also expected to make their respective cases on Ukraine.
Laos, the chair of this year’s series of ASEAN meetings, is planning to compile a statement after Friday’s meeting. But this is likely to be a difficult task due to the wide differences in views among the participants.